Fake E-Vites, Login Scams, and What To Do If You Clicked

What Is Happening?

Scammers send a fake invitation by email, text message, or social media. It may look like a birthday party, wedding, reunion, dinner, funeral notice, holiday party, or family event.

The message usually includes a button such as “View Invitation,” “RSVP,” or “See Event Details.” After you click, the website may ask you to log in before showing the invitation.

That is the trap. The scam is not really about the invitation. It is about stealing your login.

How Not To Get Hacked

Use this simple rule:

If an invitation asks you to log in before you can see it, stop.

Before clicking or signing in:

• Ask yourself: “Was I expecting this invitation?”
• Call or text the person separately using a number you already know.
• Do not reply to the suspicious message itself.
• Do not enter your Google, Microsoft, Apple, Facebook, or email password on an unfamiliar page.
• If something feels rushed, odd, or too urgent, slow down.

Scammers often use real names and real email accounts that have already been hacked. So even if the message appears to come from someone you know, be cautious.

If You Clicked the Link

If you only clicked the link but did not enter a password, you may be fine. Close the page and do not go back to it.

If you entered your password, act quickly:

1. Change the password for that account.
2. Sign out other devices that may be connected.
3. Check for unknown connected apps or app passwords.
4. Turn on two-step verification if it is not already enabled.
5. Warn friends and family not to trust strange messages from your account.

Secure Your Gmail / Google Account

1. Change your Google password

1. Open Gmail.
2. Click your profile picture or initials in the upper-right corner.
3. Click Manage your Google Account.
4. Click Security.
5. Under How you sign in to Google, click Password.
6. Enter a new password.

2. Sign out unknown devices

1. Go back to Manage your Google Account.
2. Click Security.
3. Find Your devices.
4. Click Manage all devices.
5. Click any device you do not recognize.
6. Choose Sign out.

3. Check third-party access

1. In your Google Account, click Security.
2. Look for Your connections to third-party apps & services or Third-party apps & services.
3. Review anything listed there.
4. Remove anything you do not recognize or no longer use.

4. Check App Passwords

1. In your Google Account, click Security.
2. Under How you sign in to Google, look for App passwords.
3. If you see App passwords you did not create, remove them.

Note: Not every Google account shows App passwords. If you do not see it, that may be normal.

Secure Your Microsoft / Outlook / Hotmail Account

This applies to Outlook.com, Hotmail, Microsoft 365, OneDrive, and other Microsoft accounts.

1. Change your Microsoft password

1. Go to your Microsoft account page.
2. Open the Security section.
3. Choose Change password.
4. Create a new password that you do not use anywhere else.

2. Sign out everywhere

1. Go to the Microsoft account Security area.
2. Open Advanced security options.
3. Scroll to Sign out everywhere.
4. Choose Sign out.

3. Check App passwords

1. Go to Advanced security options.
2. Look for App passwords.
3. Remove any app password you do not recognize.

4. Check sign-in methods

1. Go to Microsoft account Security.
2. Select Manage how I sign in.
3. Remove any phone number, email address, authenticator app, or sign-in method you do not recognize.

Secure Your Apple Account

This applies to iCloud, iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Mail, App Store, and Apple Account logins.

1. Change your Apple Account password

1. On an iPhone or iPad, open Settings.
2. Tap your name at the top.
3. Tap Sign-In and Security.
4. Tap Change Password.

2. Review trusted devices

1. Open Settings.
2. Tap your name at the top.
3. Scroll down to the list of devices.
4. Tap any device you do not recognize.
5. Tap Remove from Account.

3. Check App-Specific Passwords

1. Sign in to your Apple Account page.
2. Go to Sign-In and Security.
3. Select App-Specific Passwords.
4. Remove passwords you do not recognize or no longer use.

Secure Your Facebook Account

1. Change your Facebook password

1. Open Facebook.
2. Click your profile picture or menu button.
3. Go to Settings & privacy.
4. Open Settings.
5. Look for Password and security or Accounts Center.
6. Change your password.

2. Check where you are logged in

1. Go to Settings & privacy.
2. Open Settings.
3. Look for Password and security.
4. Find Where you’re logged in.
5. Log out of any device you do not recognize.

3. Check apps and websites

1. Go to Facebook settings.
2. Look for Apps and websites.
3. Remove anything you do not recognize or no longer use.

Watch for Phone Scams

After a scam spreads, phone calls often follow. A caller may claim to be from Microsoft, Apple, Google, your bank, Amazon, PayPal, the IRS, the police, or “tech support.”

Do not let a stranger talk you into installing remote access software, reading a verification code, buying gift cards, moving money, or logging into your bank.

Safe rule: Hang up. Then call the company back using a number from a bill, bank card, official website, or trusted contact list.

Watch for Email Scams

Email scams often create fear or urgency. They may say your account will be closed, your payment failed, your package cannot be delivered, your computer is infected, or someone shared a file with you.

Do not click the link in the email. Go directly to the company’s website yourself, or call someone you trust.

Watch for Text Message Scams

Text scams are very common. They may pretend to be from a delivery company, toll road, bank, pharmacy, friend, church, or family member.

If a text message asks for a password, payment, verification code, or personal information, do not click the link. Legitimate companies do not normally ask you to fix account problems through a random text message.

When To Ask for Help

Ask for help if:

• You entered your password on a suspicious website.
• Your friends are receiving strange messages from you.
• You see devices you do not recognize.
• Your password was changed without your permission.
• You see unfamiliar forwarding rules, recovery emails, phone numbers, or app passwords.
• You are not sure whether a message is real.

It is better to ask before clicking than to recover after a scam.

Computer Consultants Group can help review suspicious messages and secure accounts after a compromise.